By Canadian Press

Chief says excavation of Manitoba church basement found no evidence of human remains

Aug 18, 2023 | 4:24 PM

MINEGOZIIBE ANISHINABE — No evidence of human remains has been found during the excavation of a Catholic church basement on the site of a former Manitoba residential school. 

Chief Derek Nepinak of Minegoziibe Anishinabe shared the results of the search in a social media video.

He says it takes nothing away from the difficult truths experienced by those who attended the Pine Creek Residential School. 

Fourteen anomalies were detected in the basement using ground-penetrating radar last year. 

The First Nation, northwest of Winnipeg, hired an archeological team from the University of Brandon to do the four-week excavation earlier this summer. 

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Nepinak says he is aware the results will feed into a denialist narrative of what happened at residential schools and urged people to continue supporting the search for truth. 

He says it does not mark the end for the community and they will engage with members to find a path forward. 

The Canadian Press